Container transfer apparatus with automatic positioning compensation

ABSTRACT

It is described an apparatus for transferring a specimen container ( 2 ) from a departure support to a container carrier ( 20 ). The apparatus comprises  5  a gripper supporting frame ( 6 ) and a container gripper ( 3 ) selectively movable with respect to said frame ( 6 ) between an upper position ( 101 ) and a lower position ( 103 ) in which gripper fingers ( 8 ) of the container gripper ( 3 ) are able to catch a container ( 2 ) in a departure support or to leave the container in a container carrier ( 20 ). The apparatus further comprises gripper  10  blocking means ( 9 ) movable between a work position, in which said blocking means ( 9 ) stop the movement of the container gripper ( 3 ) towards the lower position ( 103 ) in an intermediate position ( 102 ) between said upper and lower positions ( 101, 103 ), and a rest position in which said gripper blocking means ( 9 ) allow the container gripper ( 3 ) to reach the lower 15 position ( 103 ) sliding along the lateral surface of the container ( 2 ).

The present invention concerns a container transfer apparatus which allows automatic compensation of possible erroneous positioning of the container in a container carrier.

As used herein, the term “container” means an article that contains a biological specimen and has a tubular opening for access of the contents, e.g. a test tube.

At the entry in an automated clinical chemistry laboratory it is requested to transfer a specimen container from a departure support, such as an input/output module (IOM), to a container carrier (for example as disclosed in PCT application No. PCT/EP2006/067294 of the same Applicant) which is then moved by a motorized conveyor belt through a succession of workcells.

There are known container transfer apparatus comprising a fixed frame and a container gripper movable between an upper position and a lower position.

When in the lower position the container gripper grips a container placed in the departure support by means of movable fingers, then upraises and is moved over a container carrier placed on a conveyor belt.

Finally the container gripper goes down to position the gripped container inside the container carrier.

The vertical distance of the container gripper between the upper position and the lower position is standard, while the vertical position of the container in the departure support, namely the IOM, may vary as for human mistakes that do not grant the correct contact of the bottom of the container with the abutment plane surface of the departure support.

If the container is not correctly positioned in the departure support, the gripper fingers of the container gripper catch the container lower than usual.

As a result, when the container gripper places the container into the container carrier, the bottom of the container is not in contact with the abutment plane surface of the carrier, that is the container is not correctly positioned in the carrier.

An incorrect positioning of the container in its carrier may cause a lot of problems during its passage through the several workcells.

Object of the present invention is to provide a container transfer apparatus which allows sure correct positioning of the container in the container carrier.

According to the invention said object is achieved by an apparatus for transferring a specimen container from a departure support to a container carrier, comprising a gripper supporting frame and a container gripper selectively movable with respect to said frame between an upper position and a lower position in which gripper fingers of the container gripper are able to catch a container in a departure support or to leave the container in a container carrier, characterized by comprising gripper blocking means movable between a work position, in which said blocking means stop the movement of the container gripper towards the lower position in an intermediate position between said upper and lower positions, and a rest position in which said gripper blocking means allow the container gripper to reach the lower position sliding along the lateral surface of the container.

With the blocking means in the work position the container gripper is therefore stop in an intermediate position in which the gripper fingers can catch the container in the departure support whichever is its vertical position. The container gripper is then moved above a destination carrier and with the blocking means in the rest position it is lowered to the lower position where it leaves the container with the container bottom in contact with the abutment plane surface of the carrier by making the gripper fingers to slide vertically along the lateral surface of the container. In this way, possible container positioning mistakes are prevented.

The characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear evident from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof illustrated as non-limiting example in the enclosed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to the present invention with the blocking means in the work position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to the present invention with the blocking means in the rest position;

FIG. 3 is a lateral view of the apparatus with the container gripper in the intermediate position;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view according to line IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4, but with the blocking means in a rest position, thus with the container gripper in the lowered position;

FIG. 6 is a lateral sectional view showing the positioning of the container onto the destination support.

A container transfer apparatus 1 is shown in FIGS. 1-5 for the transfer of a container 2 from a departure support of an input/output module to a container carrier 20 (destination support, FIG. 6) movable on a motorized conveyor belt.

The transfer apparatus comprises a container gripper 3 selectively movable by a carriage 4 along a vertical guide 5 and a vertical guiding bar 7 of a supporting frame 6 between an upper position 101 and a lower position 103. The container gripper 3 includes movable catching fingers 8.

The apparatus 1 also comprises a blocking cursor 9, which is driven to be selectively movable between a rest position (FIG. 2) and a work position (FIG. 1), and shock absorber members 13. The cursor 9 is driven by a pneumatic device 10 comprising a pneumatic piston 11.

In said work position the cursor 9 engages a rigid member 12 fixed to the carriage 4, so that the container gripper 3 is stop in an intermediate position 102 between said upper position 101 and said lower position 103.

Firstly considering the container gripper 3 in the upper position 101 over a specimen container 2 positioned in a departure support, the container gripper 3 goes down to the intermediate position 102 (FIGS. 3 and 4) with the cursor 9 in the work position of FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 engaged with the rigid member 12.

The vertical distance between the intermediate position 102 and the lowered position 103 (see FIGS. 4-5) is enough to achieve the aforementioned object of the invention.

Thus, the container 2 is caught higher than if the cursor 9 were in the rest position.

Then the container 2 is upraised and the frame 6 is driven to put the container 2 over the container carrier 20 (FIG. 6).

The container gripper 3 is now moved to the lower position 103, with the cursor 9 being in the rest position of FIGS. 2 and 5.

If the bottom of the container 2 touches the abutted plane surface 21 of the container carrier 20 before the end of the run of the gripper 3, the fingers 8 slide on the external lateral surface of the container 2 which is already correctly positioned (FIG. 6).

Obviously the pushing force of the gripper 3 is higher than the catching force of the fingers 8.

Finally the gripper 3 leaves the container correctly positioned.

With a very simple device, a perfect positioning into the destination support is achieved. 

1-5. (canceled)
 6. Apparatus for transferring a specimen container from a departure support to a container carrier, comprising a gripper supporting frame and a container gripper selectively movable with respect to said frame between an upper position and a lower position in which gripper fingers of the container gripper are able to catch a container in a departure support or to leave the container in a container carrier, characterized by comprising gripper blocking means movable between a work position, in which said blocking means stop the movement of the container gripper towards the lower position in an intermediate position between said upper and lower positions, and a rest position in which said gripper blocking means allow the container gripper to reach the lower position sliding along the lateral surface of the container if the bottom of said container touches an abutted surface of the container carrier before said gripper reaches the lower position.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that said blocking means comprise a blocking cursor which is movable in a transversal direction with respect the direction of movement of the container gripper between the upper and lower positions.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that said container gripper is fixed to a carriage movable along a vertical guide means of said supporting frame.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that said carriage includes a cursor engageable part.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that said supporting frame comprises shock absorbing means for said container gripper.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that said container gripper is fixed to a carriage movable along a vertical guide means of said supporting frame.
 12. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that said supporting frame comprises shock absorbing means for said container gripper.
 13. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that said supporting frame comprises shock absorbing means for said container gripper.
 14. Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said supporting frame comprises shock absorbing means for said container gripper. 